Automatic toaster



April 9, 1940.

y M. IRELAND AUTOMATIC TOASTER Original Filed Nov. 5, 1957 5sheets-sheetl 1 /ffttor-ney April 9, 1940. M, lRELJsJ'qDV 2,196,393

AUTMA'rIc MASTER Original Filed Nav. 5. 1,937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 43 v 'ls-4 |27. 8l l .Invenbor- Murr-a Ireland.

no l v ,BS j??? April 9, 1940. M. IRELAND 2,196,393

AUTOMATIC ToAsfrER Original Filed Nav. 5. 1937 5 sheets-sheet sInventor:

c m .Murr-ong Ireland. Bj f/M ttor-n.229.

April 9, 1940. M. IRELAND AUTOMATIC 'roAsTER Original Fil-ed Nav. 5.1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invenf'or: Mur-rag Ireland.

Patented Apr. 9, 1940'l UNITED STATES PATENToFl-lca AUTOMATIC 'roAs'rsa4poration oi' Delaware Application November 5, 1937, Serial No. 172,988

Renewed May 29. 1939 11 claims. (ci. 219-19) My invention relates totoasters and particularly to automatic electric toasters.

An object of my invention is to provide a relatively simple andetfective timing means associated with an electric toaster to firstcause opening of a control switch atthe end of a toasting operation andthen to cause return of a manually movablev bread slice support tonormal position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a thermally-actuableelement, effective when heated during a toasting operation by suitablemeans, to move in one direction to cause deenergization of the electricheaters of a toaster to terminate a toasting operation, thethermallyactuable element then cooling and causing automatic return of abread slice support to nontoasting' position. Other objects oi myinvention will either be apparent from a description of several i'onnsof device embodying my invention or will be hereinafter referred to orset forth in the appended lclaims.

In the drawings,y

Fig. 1 is 9. view in longitudinal Vertical section of a toasterembodying my invention, taken on the line I-i of Fig. i1 and showing theparts in non-toasting position,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 but showing the parts in thepositions occupied by them at the beginning of a toasting operation,

A Fig. 3 is a view in verticallongitudinal sectionv taken on the line3-3 of Fig. 9 and showing parts in non-toasting position,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3 showing the parts in thepositions occupied by them at the beginning of a toasting operation,

. Fig. 5 is a view in vertical longitudinal section therethrough takenon the line 5 5 of Fig. 11,

but showing the bimetal element in its actuated tical section taken onthe line 8-8 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view in horizontal section therethrough taken onthe line 8-9 of Fig. 2,

rear intermediate walls.

Fig. 10 is a view in horizontal section therethrough taken on the linelil-I of Fig. 2,

Fig. 11 is a view in vertical lateral section therethrough taken on theline lI-il of Fig. 1,

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal vertical section taken onthe line i2-I2 of Fig. l1,

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary View in lateral vertical section taken on theline i3-i3 of- Fig. 10,

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on the line I4|4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal vertical section taken onthe line I -i 5 of Fig. 10.

An automatic electric toasterA 2i comprises a skeleton base frame 23which may be made of a suitable molded composition material and whichsupports a metal base plate 25 which may be provided with a number ofhorizontal openings 21 therein equal in number to the number of slicesof bread adapted to be toasted at one-time in the toaster and here shownas two in number. Any suitable means such as a plurality of shortmachine screws 29 may be used to secure the base plate 25 to skeletonframe 23.

A plurality of pairs of electric heating elements 3i are provided inspaced relation relatively to each other, so that there will be aheating element at each side of a positioned slice of bread. Eachheating element includes one or more sheets 33 of electric-insulatingmaterial, such as mica, on which is wound a resistor 35. The lower endsof the respective plates 33 of mica may be held by a plurality ofupstanding lugs 31 which may be a part of the base plate 25.

The toaster assembly includes further a rear intermediate wall 39 and afront intermediate wall 4i, the upper ends of which may be held inproper operative positions relatively to each other by top frame plates43 suitably secured thereto, whilethe lower ends of these plates may beheld by the metal base plate 25 and rest thereon. The outer heatingelements, including particularly the sheets of mica 33, cooperate withthe front and rear intermediate walls 39 and 4I to constitute four ofthe walls of a toasting chamber, all in a manner now well known in theart.

A pair of baille plates 45 is also provided outside of and spaced fromthe outermost heating elements, the vertical edges of these plates beingheld by lateral flange portions 41 on the front and The toaster assemblyincludes further a suitable number of bread slice supports 49 which arevertically movable in the toasting chamber, the

uppermost position ofthe bread slice supports `front wall of casing 13.

yon front intermediate wall 4|.

49, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 particularly, being the non-toastingpositions while the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings is thetoasting position.

Means for guiding and moving the bread slice supports from one to theother of these positions includes a plurality of vertically-extendingstandards 5|, 53 and 55 shown particularly in Figs. 9 and 11 of thedrawings and positioned in front of the front intermediate wall 4|. 'Ihelower ends of these standards may be suitably held by the base plate 25,while the upper ends thereof are maintained in proper operativepositions by forwardly extending portions 51 of the top frame plates 43as well as by a crossbar 59. Standard 5| has slidably mounted thereon aslider 8| while standard 55 has movably mounted thereon a slider 63,these respective sliders being mechanically connected to the respectivebread slice supports 49 by connecting portions 64, as shown moreparticularly in Fig. 9 ofthe drawings. The rearwardly extending portions64 of sliders 6| and 63 engage not only with the bread slice supports 49but also with a suitable laterally-extending rod 65 in order to tiethese parts together in substantially fixed positions relatively to eachother.

A carriage 81 is vertically movable on standard 53 and carries aplurality of rollers 69 engaging standard 53 to reduce frictiontherebetween and make it easy to move the carriage and the sliders upand down on the standards. The carriage 61 has end portions overlyingparts of the sliders 6| and 63 so that downward movement of the carriagecauses downward movement of the sliders and bread slice supports butupward movement of the carriage can be eiected independently of thesliders. The carriage 61 has loosely mounted thereon a member 10 havinga forwardly extend- 'ing portion 1| adapted to project through a slot inthe front wall of an outer metal casing 13 which is of a kind alreadywell known and used in the art. A cover 15 cooperates wtih the openbottom and open top casing 13 to substantially enclose the sides and thetop of not only the toasting chamber hereinbefore described but also amechanism chamber 11 deiined more particularly by the front intermediatewall 4| and the Forwardly extending portion 1| is provided with a knob19 to permit an operator to move the bread slice supports downwardlyinto toasting position.

A bracket 8| is insulatedly mounted on and forwardly of frontintermediate wall 4 I, on which is pivotally mounted a contact arm 83which is shownmore particularly in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings. Anauxiliary arm 85 is also pivotally mounted on bracket 8| coaxially withcontact arm 83. Arm 85 has secured thereto a laterally extending bar 81which is actuated by means to be hereinafter described to cause aturning movement in a clockwise direction of arms 85 and 83 when thecarriage and the sliders are moved downwardly to cause contact arm 83'toengage a xed contact member 89 insulatedly mounted These two contactsare connected in circuit with the plurality of heating elementshereinbefore described and with a twin conductor cord 9| of the usualkind whereby to control energization of the heating elements of thetoaster. The arms 83 and 85 may be resiliently connected by a coilspring 92 (see Fig. 14) in such manner that movement of arm 85 on itspivot pin will cause movement of switch arm 83, the resilient connectionbeing such as to allow some relative movement therebetween to insureclose operative engagement between the cooperating contact members ofthe switch.

Means actuated by the carriage when moving downwardly to cause closingmovement of switch 5 ar'm 83 comprises a depending lever arm 93pivotally mounted as on a bracket 95 which may be a part of one of theportions 51. This lever is provided with a rearwardly extending camprojection 91 intermediate its ends and shown parw ticularly in Figs. 3,4 and 5 of the drawings, which cam projection is adapted to engage bar81 hereinbefore described. Arm 93 has pivotally mounted thereon anover-running actuator 99 having an upper angular cam surface-adapted tobe en- 15 gaged by a roller ||J| on carriage 81. Actuator 99 is biasedin a clockwise direction against a stop |00 by a spring |02, which stopprevents actuator 99 from turning movement in a clockwise direction, thespring permitting limited turn- 2o ing movement in a counter-clockwisedirection. Downward movement of the roller |0| causes it to engage theupper angularly extending cam surface of actuator 99 and forces the arm93 to turn in a clockwise direction. 'Ihe roller |0| can ride 25 pastthe actuator 99, when moving upwardly,

-causing the actuator to turn momentarily in a counter-clockwisedirection and to be returned to its normal position by spring |02.

Means for biasing the bread slice support to 30 its upper ornon-toasting position includes a coil spring |03 located below baseplate 25, having one end thereof connected to the forward portion ofbase plate 25 and having its rear end connected to a laterally-extendingportion |04 of a 35 short depending arm |05 of a bellcrank leverincluding in addition to the short arm |05, a long arm |01 extendingsubstantially horizontally of the toaster. This bellcrank lever ispivotally mounted on rear intermediate plate 39 as at |09 shownparticularly in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings. The forward end of thelong arm |01 is provided with a slot which -is adapted to receive theintermediate portion of rod 65 so that as the knob 19 is depressed thebellcrank lever is 45 turned in a clockwise direction thereby tensioningspring |03 and biasing the bread slice support to its upper ornon-toasting position.

Means for biasing switch arm 83 to its open position (as shown inFig. 1) includes a coil o spring ||3 having one end thereof connected toa lug ||5 on arm 85, while the other end of coil spring ||3 is connectedto a portion I|1 which may be a part of one of the portions 51 (see Fig.11). u

The toaster includes also an all-thermal timing mechanism to causeautomatic termination of a toasting operation, which timing mechanism isso designed and constructed as to vary the duration of a toastingoperation in accordance with temperature changes in the toaster. Atiming mechanism of this kind is desirable in electric toasters in orderthat the user need not make any manual adjustments other than he maydesire to vary the degree of toasting, that 05 is, light, medium or darktoast.

A longitudinally extending metal beam |2| is suitably supported on andbelow the base plate 25 as by bolts |22 extending through its endportions to hold it in substantially fixed position in 70 the toasterstructure. This member has a slightly concave upper surface |23 and isprovided with a plurality of vertical openings |25 therein for a purposeto be hereinafter set forth. I prefer. to make this metal member ofsubstantially 75 be cooled by an upwardly flowing current ofA cooling.air caused particularly by. the heating elements of the toaster whenthey are energized.

. Beam |2| provided. at its rear end with an upwardly exte ding portion|21. At its forward portion, beam |2| is provided with a recess |29 toreceive the forward end oi' a snap-acting bimetal bar |3|, this recessbeing located slightly above surface 23. The rear end of bar |3| is.received in a suitable recess in a block |33 which is supported on acompensating bimetal bar |35, the upper end of which is held by theupper end of extension |21. Means for adjusting the pressure on bimetalbar |35 includes a spring bar |31 having its upper end secured'to theupper end of extension |21, its lower end being provided with anadjusting screw |35 adapted to engage bimetal bar |35 and apply agreater or lesser pressure thereagainst to be transmittedto bar isi.

A detent mechanism .provided to hold the switch members 83 and 39 inengaged position as shown in Fig. 2 includesa latch arm |4| pivotallymounted intermediate its ends on beam |2| as shown particularly in Figs.1, 2 and 5 of the drawings and is' biased in a clockwise direction by aspring |43. Arm |4| is provided at its inner end with an upwardly andlaterally extending portion located below bimetal bar |3| and adapted tobe moved thereby in a counterclockwise direction when bimetal bar |3|snaps over into the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the .drawingsupon being heated to a predetermined temperature. Arm 93 is providedwith a lateral extension |41 at its lower end adapted to cooperate witha recess |49 in the lower edge of the right-hand portion of arm |4|.`.Thus, when arm 93 is turned in a clockwise direction as has hereinbeforebeen set forth its extension |41 will interflt with arm |4| and belocatedl in recess |49 to thereby-hold the contact arm 93 in engagementwith fixed contact member 39.

Means for thermally energizing the bimetal bar |3| independently of heatfrom the main heaters may include an auxiliary heating element |5| shownparticularly in Figs. 13 and 15 oi' the drawings. .This auxiliaryheating element ex-l with, but its energization is controlled by theswitch, comprising switch arm 33 and fixed contact 89.

A cover for the auxiliary heating element and the bimetal bar |3| isalso provided and includes a member |51 of any suitable material and ofsubstantially channel-shape in lateral section, a

preferred form of this cover being shown in` Fig.'

13 of the drawings. The bimetal bar |3 I is therefore screened againstthermal action by the main heating 'elements of the toaster, its thermalenergization being eifected substantially altogether bythe auxiliaryheater |5I.

The front end of beam |2| is provided with anupwardly extending portion|5| having a fiat surface at one side thereof to receive a pivot pin |53of a latch release lever |55 pivotally mounted on pin |93. This levermay be of the shape shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. for instancehaving adetent |31 at its inner end to receive a catch |99 on slider 93.Forward,l end of lever extends outwardly through th front wall of casing13 to permit of manual control of the toaster.

- A second latch arm |19 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends onthat side of beam |2| opposite to the side on which arm |4| is pivotallymounted. 'Ihe right-hand end portion of arm |10 (as seen in Figs. 3 and4) is provided with an upwardly and inwardly extending portion |1I, theextreme end of which is adapted to overlie bimetal bar. |3l. It may benoted particularly by reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings thatthe. mid-portion of bimetal bar itl is adapted to engage 4a stop member|13 to limit its upward movement. Arm 19 is biased in a clockwisedirection by a'spring |15 while lever |65 is biased in a. clockwisedirection by a spring |11. A detent arm .|19 (see Figa@ and 4) isplvotally mounted on the leit hand end of arm il@ as on a pivot pin |8i.Arm |19 isbiased in a clockwise direction by a spring |85.

While it is intended that the toaster embodying my invention shall beoperated by the hereinbefore described timing mechanism it may becomedesirable 'under abnormal conditions to terminate the toasting operationmanually, and for this purpose a latch release link |95 is pivotallyconnected to the forward end'of arm |4| and extends upwardly throughportions of carl riage 51. The upper end of link |35 is bent as shownin' Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawingsso that when carriage 61 is movedupwardly to the full-Y est extent of its travel link |95 will be movedupwardly to cause turning movement of arm |4| in a counter-clockwisedirection to eifect release of arm 93 to thereby permit opening'of theswitch vcontrolling the energization of the main and the auxiliaryheating elements.

The operation of the toaster hereinbefore described is. substantially asfollows. Let it be assumed that an operator has placed one or two slicesof bread on the bread slice supports while they are in their upper ornon-toasting positions as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3 of thedrawings. .Downward pressure on knob 19 moves the bread slice supportsto their lowered position, tensions biasing spring |03, causesturningmovement of arm 93 in a clockwise direction, which causes closingmovement of switch arm 83 to energize the heaters, while at the sametime removing the upward'pressure on "link |85 to thereby permit spring|43 tocause a slight turning movement of arm |4| whereby arm 93 is`latched in the position shown particularly in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The energized main heaters cause toasting of the slices of bread in thetoasting chamber at each side thereof while the auxiliary heater |5|thermally energizes bimetal bar |3I. The cold position of bimetal bar|3| is shown for instance in Fig. 2 of the drawings, that is, it isbowed up- Icave surface is such that the bimetal bar isi ia 1 wwwstopped in only slightly downwardly bowed position. This means that amuch shorter length of timel and a much smaller temperature change Y inthe opposite direction, in this case a cooling. is required to cause thebimetal bar to snap over into substantially its original position. Inaddition it will be noted that the bimetal bar |3| is in closeflat-surface engagement over substantially its entire length with theupper concave surface of beam |2| so that it requires only a few secondsfor the bimetal bar to cool to substantially its original temperatureand return to its upwardly bowed shape, thereby placing it in propercondition for another cycle.

The downward movement of the upwardlybowed bimetal bar, upon beingheated to a predetermined higher temperature, causes its. centralportion to engage portion |99 of lever arm ill to thereby cause it tomove slightly in a counter-clockwise direction on its pivot against thelesser biasing force of spring |93. I'his upward movement of theright-hand portion of arm III eiects release of arm 93 thereby causingopening movement of switch arm 93 whereby the energizing circuit throughthe heating elements is interrupted and the toasting operation isterminated.

It will thus be noted that while a toasting operation is terminated bythe deenergization of the main heating elements as hereinbeforedescribed, the slices of toasted bread will remain in the toastingchamber for a few seconds longer before they can be easily and quicklyremoved by an operator. The appearance of the upper portion of therespective slices of bread above the casing is therefore a signal to theuser that he can remove the toast thus prepared as well as a signal thatthe toaster is ready for another toasting operation.

'I'he downward snap action of bimetal bar |3| has permitted turningmovement of arm |10 in a clockwise direction under the influence ofspring |15 thereon, whereby detent arm |19 has been moved slightlyupwardly and a detent portion |81 at its upper end has engaged acooperating lug |89 on lever |65. It may be noted that member |19, whilebeing biased in a clockwise direction by spring |83, was prevented frommoving in that direction by a pin |9| on extension ISI. When arm |10 isturned in a clockwise direction, member |19 is moved into the positionshown particularly in Fig. 6 of the drawings. that is, this mechanism isnow ready to cause a counter-clockwise movement of lever |65 under thefollowing conditions. As has been hereinbefore stated bimetal bar |3|cools relatively quickly and when it has been cooled to a predetermineddegree it will quickly snap into its initial or upwardly bowed positionas shown for instance in Fig. 'l of the drawings. lThis upward movementof the bimetal bar |3| causes turning of arm |10 in a counter-clockwisedirection (as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, thereby causing a downward movementof detent arm |19 and a corresponding turning movement of lever |66 asshown particularly in Fig. '1 ofthe drawings whereby the bread slicesupports and their associated parts are released from detent |61, spring|03 causing a quick upward movement of the bread slice supports intonon-toasting position.

It is of course highly desirable that a toaster of this kind have meansfor varying the degree of toasting of a given kind of bread as well asbe able to toast different kinds of bread. Means provided for thispurpose includes a knob |93 mounted on the outside of the casing on ashaft |99 which shaft is provided with screw threads and extends throughan internally screw threaded bearing block |91 supported on base plate29 (see Fig. 12). 'I'he inner end of shaft |99 engages a pivot arm |99suitably supported in a bracket 29| 'depending from base plate 29,thelower end of arm |99 having secured thereto one end of a coil spring293. The other end of spring 203 is connected to the end of a lever arm29B suitably pivotally supported as by a pivot pin 291, supported by andbelow base 2B. Lever arm 295 extends through a transverse Opening at oneend of a link 299, the other end of which is screw threaded and extendsthrough an opening in the lower end portion of compensating bimetal bar|35, an adjusting nut 2|| being mounted on the outer end of link 299 topermit of manual adjustment of the initial compression applied to themain bimetal bar |3|.

Thus. if knob |93 be turned to increase the tension on spring 293, agreater'compression will be applied to the bimetal bar |3I andconsequently a greater rise of its temperature must occur before it willsnap over as described above. This, of course, means that the durationof a toasting operation is increased, resulting in a greater degree oftoasting.

The operation and effect of the auxiliary bimetal bar |35 issubstantially as follows; bimetal bar |36 is subjected to thetemperature of the toasting chamber and its temperature will thereforevary with the temperature of the toasting chamber and is so arrangedthat it will tend to flex in a clockwise direction (as seen in Figs. 1,2 and 5) with increase in temperature, thereby reducing the compressionapplied to the main bimetal bar |3| and permitting said bar to snapover, as described above, sooner than when it and the toaster are at alower temperature. The duration of a toasting operation when the toasteris hot, because of having been used one or more times, is therefore lessthan for the first operation starting with a cold toaster, and it iseasily possible to so adjust and correlate the various parts of atoaster of this kind that uniform toasting of successive slices of breadis obtained.

Various modiilcations may be made in the device embodying my inventionwithout departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and I desiretherefore, that the appended claims shall be limited only by the priorart.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automatic toaster, the combination with an electric heatingmeans, a control switch therefor biased to open position, a bread slicesupport movable to toasting and non-toasting position and biased tonon-toasting position, manually-actuable means for simultaneously movingthe bread support to toasting position and the switch to closedposition, detent means for holding the switch in closed position andseparate detent means for holding the bread support in toastingposition, an auxiliary electric heater, the energization oi which iscontrolled by said control switch and a bimetal element thermallycontrolled by said auxiliary electric heater and movable in a givendirection for effecting release of the switch holding detent andtermination of the toasting operation, of means normally held out ofengagement with said bread-support-holding-detent by said bimetalelement but movable into operative relation with saidbread-support-holding-detent when said bimetal element moves in saidgiven direction andactuated by the bimetal elementwhen it mov' s in theopposite direction to cause release of e bread-support-holding-detent'and return of the bread support to non-toasting position.

2. In an automatic toaster, the combination with an electric heatingmeans, a control switch therefor biased to open position, a bread slicesupport movable to toasting and non-toasting positions and biased tonon-toasting position, manually-actuable means for simultaneously movingthe bread support to toasting position and the switch toclosed'position, detent means for holding the switch in closed positionand separate detent means for holding the bread supholding-detent bysaid bimetal bar and spring means, for moving said mechanical meansintoA operative engagement with said bread-supportholding-detent onmovement of said bimetal bar in said given direction, said mechanicalmeans being movable in the opposite direction to cause releasingmovement of said bread support detent and return of the bread support tonon-toasting position.

3. In an automatic toaster, the combination with an electric heatingmeans, a control switch therefor biased to open position, a bread slicesupport movable to toasting and non-toasting positions and biased tonon-toasting position, manually-actuable means for simultaneously movingthe bread support to toasting position and the switch to closed positionand separate detent means for holding the switch in closed position andthe bread support in toasting position, of means including an auxiliaryelectric heater the energization of which is controlled by said controlswitch, a bimetal bar subject to heat from said auxiliary heater andilexing thereby in a given direction for directly mechanically enTgaging said switch-detent means to cause switch releasing movementthereof after a relatively long time interval constituting the operatingperiod of the toaster and a release lever for the bread support latchnormally out or operative relation with the bread support detent butmovable into operative relation therewith when. the bimetal barengagessaid switch detent means and actuated by the bimetal bar when flexing inthe opposite direction to cause release of the bread support and returnthereof to non-toasting position.

4. In an automatic toaster, the combination with a main electric heatingmeans, a control switch therefor biased to open position, a bread slicesupport movable to toasting `and to nontoasting position and biasedto-non-toasting position, manually-actuable means having connections forsimultaneously moving the bread support to toasting position and theswitch to closed position, a rst detent for holding said switch inclosed position, a second detent for holding said bread support intoasting position and means including a bimetal bar and an auxiliaryelectric heater thermally associated with said bigization by saidauxiliary electric heater; after a time interval constituting theoperating period ofthe toaster, of a pivotally mounted lever arm havingone end thereof in engagement with said bimetal bar at all times andhaving its other end out of operative engagement 4with said breadsupportv detent during the operating period of the toaster and a springfor causing movement of said other end of said lever arm into operativeengagement with said bread support detent on 'movement of said bimetalbar consequent to thermal energization thereof, said lever arm beingactuable by said bimetal bar on its return movement after' thermaldeenergization thereof to ycause release of said bread support detentand reurn of the bread support to non-toasting posi- 5. In an automatictoaster, the combination with an electric heating means, a controlswitch therefor biased to open position, a bread slice support movableto toasting andnon-toasting position, and biased to non-toastingposition, manually-actuable means for simultaneously moving the breadsupport to toasting position and the switch to closed position, detentmeans for holding the switch in closedI position, an auxiliary electricheater, the energlzation` of which is controlled by said control switchand a bimetal element subject to heat from said auxiliary electricheater and movable in one direction to effect release of said switchholding detent and termination of the toasting operation, of a seconddetent means for holding the bread support in toasting position, meansnormally held out of engagement with said second detent by said bimetalelement but movable into operative relation with said second detent whensaid bimetal by said bimetal element when it moves in an oppositedirection tocause release of the second detent and return of the breadsupport to nontoasting position and manually actuable means on saidsecond detent to effect release of said second detent without openingsaid control switch.

6. In an automatic toaster, the combination with a casing, an electricheating meansV therein, a control switch therefor biased to openposition, a bread slice support movable to toasting and non-toastingposition, and biased to non-toasting position, manually-actuable meansfor simultaneously moving the bread support to toasting position and theswitch to closed position, detent means for holding the switch in closedposition, an auxiliary electric heater, the energization of which iscontrolled by said control switch and a bimetal element subject to heatfrom vsaid auxiliary electric heater and movable in one direction toeffect release of said switch holding detent and termination of thetoasting operation, of a second detent means for holding the breadsupport in toasting position, means normally held out of engagement withsaid second detent by said bimetal element but movable into operativerelation with said second detent when said bimetal element moves in saidone direction and actuable by said bimetal element when it moves in anopposite direction to cause release of the second detent and return ofthe bread support to non-toasting position and manually actuable meanson said second detent extending outelement moves in said one directionand actuable v wardly throughsaid casing for eifecting release of saidsecond detent without affecting said nrst named detent.

.` '7. A device as set forth in claim 4 and including a casing and anarm on said second detent movable to toasting and non-toasting positionsrelatively to the toasting element and yieldingly biased to non-toastingposition, means to move the bread supportto toasting position, a detentfor holding the bread support in toasting position and thermal timingmeans for causing release of said detent after a time interval, saidtiming means including a single auxiliary electric heater, a singlesnap-acting bimetal element adapted to be heated by said auxiliaryheater, means for supporting the bimetal element for movement in a givendirection in response to heating by said auxiliary heater and formovement in the opposite direction vin response to cooling, meansmechanically actuable by the blmetal element on movement in one of saiddirections to cause release movement of said detent and a cooling memberpositioned to be mechanically contacted by the bimetal element when ithas moved in said given direction to effect quick cooling of the bimetalelementto condition the same to properly control rapidly succeedingtoasting operations.

9. In an automatic toaster, in combination, an electric toastingelement, a bread slice support movable to toasting and non-toastingpositions relatively to the toasting element and yieldingly vbiased tonon-toasting position, means to move the bread support to toastingposition, a detent for holding the bread support in toasting positionand thermal timing means for causing release of said detent after a timeinterval, said timing means including aI single snap-acting bimetal bar,means for supporting said bimetal bar for movement in a given directionon temperature increase thereof and for movement in the oppositedirection on cooling thereof, means to ilrst heat and then cool saidbimetal bar, means actuable by the bimetal bar on movement in one ofsaid directions-to cause release of said detent and a ilxed coolingmember positioned to be mechanically contacted by the bimetal bar when(it has moved in said given direction to quickly cool the bimetal elementto place it in condition to properlycontrol rapidly succeeding toastingoperations.

10. In an automatic toaster, in combination, an electric toastingelement, a bread slice support movable to toasting and non-toastingpositions relatively to the toasting element and yieldingly biased tonon-toasting position, means to move thebread support to toastingposition, a detent for holding the bread support in toasting positionand thermal timing means for causing release of said detent after a timeinterval, said timing means including a single snap-acting bimetal bar.means for ilxedly supporting said bimetal bar relatively tothe toasterand for movement in a given direction on temperature increase thereofand for movement in the opposite direction on cooling thereof, means tonrst heat n and then cool said bimetal bar, means actuable by thebimetal Ibar on movement in one of said directions to cause release ofsaid detent and means comprising a part of the bimetal supportelectrictoasting element, a bread slice support movable into toasting andnon-toasting positions relatively to the toasting element and yieldinglybiased to non-toasting position, means to move the bread support intoand hold it in toasting position and a thermal timing device for causingreturn of the bread support to non-toasting position after a timeinterval the length of which varies with toaster temperature, saidthermal timing device including a single snap-acting bimetal bar adaptedto be heated simultaneously with the heating of a slice of bread and tomove quickly in a given direction when heated to a predeterminedtemperature, means mechanically engaged for an appreciable length oftime by the bimetal bar at the end of its movement in said givenvdirection to cause it to cool and to move in the opposite direction andmeans actuable by said bimetal bar in its movement in one f of saiddirections to cause return of the bread support to non-toastingposition.

f MURRAY IRELAND.

l0 11. In an automatic toaster, in combination, an

